Birds & BotanyHike the forests, meadows and hills around Pine Flat and up Redhill with ACR Volunteer Patrick Woodworth & ACR Resource Ecologist Dave Self. We’ll be watching (and listening) for birds on the hike out. After lunch, we'll botanize as we consider the seasonal interplay between bird foods, habitat history and current activity ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: Free
The Cyber-Circus -- What The Rise of Hacking Everyday Things Means for All of UsIn 2017, cybersecurity is about the trust people place in “everyday†things like baby monitors, cars, insulin pumps and anything in between, and researchers are eager to demonstrate just how untrustworthy these can be. Amid media frenzy, stunt hacks, Internetâ€ofâ€Things attacks and highâ€profile disclosures, can friendly hackers help industry build ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Traffic Estimation and Control in an Era of Mixed Human Piloted and Automated VehiclesThis talk will explore some new directions in estimation and control when the traffic stream is composed of a mix of human piloted and autonomous vehicles. The first part of the talk investigates the problem of modeling and estimating traffic streams in this mixed setting. A connection between the generalized ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Problem of CollapseThe gravitational waves detected recently by LIGO were produced in the final phase of the inward spiraling of two black holes before they collided to produce a more massive black hole. The experiment is entirely consistent with the so-called Final State Conjecture of general relativity, according to which general solutions ...
Hungry For Answers: Why do we waste so much food?Food. Essential for life, it sustains us as it propels economies. Defines cultures. Fuels industries. But even as our sophistication at food production increases, we seem unableâ€"or perhaps just disinclinedâ€"to recognize and attempt to solve the enormous and perpetual problems surrounding food.We grow and produce higher quantities of food today ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $20 Advance, $25 at door
Nature Walk by the BayTake a gentle walk around the Marina’s flat dirt trails and enjoy the local weather and bayside wildlife. We’ll keep the pace slow for all ages and abilities. Meet in the parking lot near the restroom. Questions? (408) 355-2240
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Geology Hike with Iain JamiesonLed by Bouverie Preserve docent and retired geologist Iain Jamieson. Be prepared for a moderate hike with many stops to discuss the rock formations and geological history.Limited to 15 participants, pre-registration required at weblink.
Where: GeyservilleCost: Free
Guided Nature WalkExperience the beauty and rich natural history of this 535-acre preserve.�Our half-day guided nature walks are on Saturdays throughout fall and spring. Participants are divided into small groups and paired with a trained Bouverie volunteer to explore the mixed evergreen forest, flower-carpeted oak woodland and rugged chaparral. Guided Nature Walks ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: $15 Donation suggested
Family Bird WalkLet family walks become a shared time of nature learning. We’ll begin by helping kids create their personal bird watching field guides, and then head out onto the trails to find those birds. A limited number of binoculars are available to borrow. Recommended for children ages 5-10. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Register ...
Our wetlands are an important stop on the Pacific Flyway, a major bird migration route. Stroll with docent Laurel Stell to learn why birds migrate, why they stop along the San Francisco Bay, and to spot the birds in action. Trail is easy and level. All ages and abilities welcome. Meet at the SF2 trail ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Valentine's Day Nature Art WorkshopGuests are invited to use natural watercolors made from a variety of plant materials (spinach, cabbage, berries) to decorate Valentine's Day cards.
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Genetically Altered: BioArt Performance and Gallery EventWe know that scientific tools can be much more that ways of solving problems: scientific tools can be used as a form of protest, reverence, communications, and beauty. Join us Feb. 4 when we take you into a future where biotechnology has been unleashed, questioning human form, natural, and transcendence. This ...
Where: OaklandCost: $15-50
Jazz Under the StarsCome peer through our telescopes and see craters on the Moon, the visible plants, star clusters, and more while we listen to CSM's very own KCSM Jazz 91 FM. Dress warmly.  Free parking in Marie Curie Lot 5.  Directions here.Event is weather dependent.
Join us for a three-mile stroll (mostly flat, with a relatively steep section) through an old-growth redwood forest. Wander through an awakening forest, hear tall tales, soar in the sounds and smells, and wonder and the historical and ecological story of Muir Woods.Designed to engage adults; may be over the ...
The effect of the physical environment on the living environment is a key aspect of marine ecosystem dynamics across scales from microbes to whales. My research has focused on biophysical interactions in the ocean to understand the impacts of oceanographic processes on marine ecosystem production and trophic structure. Throughout my ...
Where: Moss LandingCost: Free
Water Birds at Lake MerrittMigrating birds are here! See which winter visitors are currently at Lake Merritt, the nation's oldest wildlife refuge.  Join us for a short walk along the lake. Learn about the Pacific Flyway and how to identify some winter migrants as well as year-round residents. We'll begin the walk in front of the ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free! $20 suggested donation
Optimal Design and Operation of Power Systems with Large Shares of Renewable EnergyPower systems with large shares of renewable power will also need better hour-by-hour forecasts for these resources. In the second part of this seminar I will discuss research which shows that forecast models can be improved significantly if they are trained using asymmetrical cost functions, reflecting the high cost of ...
Can Clean Tech Clean Up Our Future? - SOLD OUTWith stock market values at near-record highs, again, how is the clean tech sector doing? One index of solar stocks is down 50 percent from a year ago and the industry was stung by the high-profile flame-out of SunEdison. Overall, however, the clean energy industry is growing and creating jobs. ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free members, $7 Students
The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, which is located at 14000’ elevation in central Mexico, began operating in March 2015 and is detecting the highest energy gamma rays ever observed. These gamma rays come from supermassive black holes in distant galaxies as well as sources within the Milky Way ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members and Seniors
Join Eureka! as we discuss Population Stabilization with physician, hedge-fund manager, and investor Dr. Joon Yun. Tix here:Â http://tix.eurekacomedy.com/eurekc742Joining hosts Allen Saakyan and Kevin Whittinghill will be the hilarious comedians Mark Smalls (SF Sketchfest) and Justin Lucas (HBO). Put on your smarty pants and enjoy this evening of laughter and learning.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15
Tuesday, 02/07/17
Stellar occultations of planetary rings: from Palomar to CassiniChance observations of stars as they pass behind planets have provided some of our most valuable data on the structure of planetary ring systems, beginning with the discovery of the uranian rings with the Kuiper Airborne Observatory in 1977. As a graduate student at Caltech in the 70s, I became ...
California has the most ambitious climate policy framework in the world, and the Bay Area has the resources, political temperament and innovative spirit to demonstrate how to work toward eliminating fossil fuel use. But is that spirit enough to go fossil-free? San Jose is doing exploratory work on a clean ...
Where: San JoseCost: $10 General, Free for members
Oaks in OaklandLearn all about the trees that Oakland is named after! We'll look at the different oaks around Lakeside Park. We will discuss the natural history of oaks and how to identify different both native and exotic species.
The Bee-Friendly GardenPlanting pollinator gardens not only ensures your vegetables, flowers and fruit trees are pollinated, but can help perpetuate plants that depend on pollination - over 80% of the world’s plants! Though many of us think of honeybees when we think of pollinators, there are 1600 species of native bees in ...
Peter Norvig is a Director of Research at Google Inc. Previously he was head of Google's core search algorithms group, and of NASA Ames's Computational Sciences Division, making him NASA's senior computer scientist. He received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Award in 2001. He has taught at the University of Southern ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Future of Sensory PerceptionScientists and other sensory explorers are developing powerful new technologies that can change, enhance and perhaps expand the limits of what we can perceive. They are building retinal implants to restore vision to the blind, creating robotic limbs to touch at a distance, testing whether Tylenol can soothe the hurt ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10 General, free for UC Berkeley students/staff
Introduction to Mushrooms at Lake MerrittDuring this short walk, we'll discuss how to find and identify mushrooms, their basic life cycle, and the important role they play in the ecosystem.Please note: Mushrooms may not be collected during this walk.
In December 2015 over 190 countries met in Paris for the 21st meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change where they succeeded in creating a new international climate agreement. Many have heralded the outcome as a groundbreaking achievement for international diplomacy and global climate action. Others have ...
Program (the order of the speakers might change):7:00-7:25: Carlo Sequin(UC Berkeley) on "Klein bottles and Super-Bottles"Super-Bottles are topological models that can yield artistic creations...Read more7:25-7:50: Andra Keay(Silicon Valley Robotics) on "Designing Good Robots"In science fiction the robots are either very good, or very bad. But in reality what ...
Doing science and making culture are increasingly intertwined as more and more amateur naturalists crowdsource the multi-layered experience of life on this planet. Authors of two new books Mary Ellen Hannibal (Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction) and Ursula Heise (Imagining Extinction: The Cultural ...
The Search for a Cousin of Earth: Science or Fiction?Dr. Franck Marchis, Senior planetary astronomer at the Carl Sagan Center of the SETI Institute will discuss the search for an Earth-Like exoplanet conducted at SETI Institute in collaboration with institutions around the world. Over the past 15 years, this group led the development of the Gemini Planet Imager which ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: Free
Thursday, 02/09/17
Botany Series: Basic BotanyHow do plants work? If it’s been way too long since that high school biology class, come take a step back with Annette Russell (Presidio Nursery Manager). We will learn the basic processes that plants go through in life, how they have adapted to the changing earth environment over time, ...
Noise Pop NightlifeBeauty is in the ear of the beholder this week as Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival takes over NightLife for an evening exploring the science of sound�"just in time for Noise Pop’s 25th anniversary.In the Piazza, catch a DJ set from acclaimed experimental pop band Animal Collective.At 7:30 pm, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Our Constitution, Our Climate, Our Kids: Is There a Right not to Be Harmed by Climate Change?Climate change has an immediate, disproportionate effect on our youth, present and future generations. As with the civil rights movement, young people are turning to courts and regulatory bodies to require governments to implement plans to phase out pollution in line with science. The question is this: Do present and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, Free for students
Aging at Home with Chronic IllnessDr. Lin will discuss best practices and new technology to assist aging at home for patients and their caregivers focusing on challenges with mobility, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. He will draw from the medical literature and his own experiences at Stanford leading a team of medical students ...
Program (the order of the speakers might change):7:00-7:25: Susan McConnell(Stanford/Biology) on "Conservation Photography: Putting Images to Work for the Environment"Nature photography with a mission...Read more7:25-7:50: Vanessa Sigurdson(Autodesk Artist in Residence) on "Autodesk Artist in Residence"The Pier 9 AIR program at Autodesk...Read more7:50-8:10: BREAK. Before or after the break, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Unsupervised Machine Learning: Application to Data FusionFusion of information from multiple sets of data in order to extract a set of features that are most useful and relevant for the given task is inherent to many problems we deal with today. Data-driven methods based on source separation minimize the assumptions about the underlying relationships and enable ...
Alan Wallace, a world-renowned author and Buddhist scholar trained by the Dalai Lama, and Sean Carroll, a world-renowned theoretical physicist and best-selling author, discuss the nature of reality from both spiritual and scientific viewpoints. Their dialogue is mediated by theoretical physicist and author Marcelo Gleiser, director of Dartmouth’s Institute for ...
Time may be �" simultaneously! �" both the most mundane and the most mysterious feature of our universe. Wonderfest and Bookshop West Portal present The New Yorker’s Alan Burdick in discussion of his new book, Why Time Flies: A Mostly Scientific Investigation. What is time, really? Do children experience it ...
